1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a lock device for keeping closed an ashtray, compartment for small articles, cup holder, glove compartment or the like (hereinafter referred to as a "movable body") which is installed in an automobile so as to be movable between an open position in use and a closed position in such a manner as being slidable or swingable with the aid of gravitation or a biasing means such as a spring.
2. Prior Art Statement
Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. HEI 2-25332, for example, discloses a lock device for a movable body movable between its open position and its closed position and normally biased toward the open position by biasing means. The conventional lock device is provided with a cam lever swingable about a pivot mounted on an automobile and capable of locking the movable body at the closed position when the movable body is pushed inward against the biasing force of the biasing means and, when the movable body now at the closed position is further pushed inward, releasing the locked state of the movable body, thereby permitting the movable body to move toward the open position.
However, if the cam lever should unlock the movable body at the closed position as a result of further pushing the movable body inward by the force of inertia generated when the automobile stops suddenly or collides against something, the movable body will fly out and may possibly injure the driver or passengers. To avoid this possibility, the conventional lock device further has a construction capable of preventing the cam lever from unlocking the movable body at the closed position by the force of inertia.
To be specific, the conventional lock device has the cam lever provided with a long extension extending over the pivot for the cam lever in a direction opposite to the free end of the cam lever and a transfer member disposed between the extension and a portion of the automobile corresponding in position to the extension. The transfer member is responsive to the force of inertia generated and pushing the movable body at the closed position further inward and is moved against the biasing force of the biasing means to thereby prevent the cam lever from unlocking the movable body.
Thus, according to the conventional lock device, it is possible to effectively prevent the movable body from being moved toward its open position by the force of inertia with the inertia-responsive transfer member. However, since the cam lever is provided with the long extension extending over the pivot for the cam lever and since the inertia-responsive transfer member is required to act on the extension of the cam lever against the biasing force of the biasing means when the force of inertia is generated, it is necessary to leave a large space exclusively for the installation thereof and to mount the inertia-responsive transfer member, which requires considerable labor.
In addition, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 64-41434 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,735) discloses a box-like article accommodating apparatus provided with a movable body locking device which comprises a heart-like cam groove, a locking pin having one end thereof inserted in and tracing the cam groove, and an inertia-responsive transfer member moving in response to the force of inertia exerted on the movable body to prevent the movement of the locking pin inserted in the cam groove and prevent the movable body from being moved to its open position. With this lock device, however, since the inertia-responsive transfer member is required to stop the quick and minute movement of the locking pin, if the lock device is of a small size, it will become difficult to reliably stop such quick and minute movement of the locking pin.